A Treasure Hunt
by FunBlocker62
Summary: Why were Noel, Lightning, Serah, Snow, Hope, and Sazh in the middle of the Pulse Wilds? Because they are on a treasure hunt!
1. Noel the Jungle Man

**A Treasure Hunt!**

**An: This is what happens when a weird kid is watching too much "Adventure Time" and "One Piece", and playing too much "Final Fantasy XIII". I was going to make this a FFXIII-2 story...but I wanted to use little Hope. :B I love Older Hope but...Little Hope is more adorkable. But I also love Noel and wanted him in it! So voila!**

**Warnings: Slight Randomness, Kind of an AU (or a different spin after FFXIII), slightly crazy Noel, An overly stupid Snow (Slightly) AND SAZH AWESOMENESS. Because he isn't in FFXIII-2 and I wuv him so much! (That just might be it, he is there. That is the awesome part.)**

**If you read all that...I'm so sorry. Here's the story!**

"Where are we supposed to go now?" Serah asked one of her companions.

"Look here." Snow raised his large arm and pointed ahead of the group towards a huge and bulky grave, that had several weird tribal patterns engraved across the front. The grave looked cracked and slowly collapsing. "This thing looks really, really old."

"How old?" Sazh asked with a snort as he walked beside the burly man. "As in me old or as in hundreds and hundreds of years old."

"Isn't that like the same thing." Snow joked placing his arms behind his head with a grin on his face.

Sazh narrowed his eyes at him. "Hey, watch your mouth, boy!" He warned, though he had a kidding grin plastered on his own.

"This must be like a thousand years old!" Serah said in awe. "So amazing! It must be some sort of historical landmark in Pulse. I've read all about these graves in the pulsian history books." Her eyes widened as if she was a little girl in a candy shop. She absolutely loved history. "Wah! Just imagine how many stories there is surrounded around this one shrine. This isn't just some little stone, This person must be great. Like-like a hero or something!"

"Think how much this is worth. Ouch!" Snow flinched at Serah's slap on his arm. Not like it hurt that much, not compared to her sister's punches, but still.

His fiance' had an unamused expression on her face. "It's not about the money! This is somebody's grave for crying out loud!"

"If not the grave," Hope decided to intervene, "then there must be lots of treasures. I mean, if this person was so great then maybe the pulsians offered or something."

"You may be right, kid." Sazh agreed. "That was the whole reason we came all this way."

"Your kidding right?" Lightning said with a quirked eyebrow as she placed her hand on her hip with a bored expression. "This couldn't have been the only reason we came all this way. For money? Snow could just get a job."

"Why are you picking on me, sis!"

"I'm not your sister."

"Not yet."

"Claire, Snow!" Serah cried, ignoring the way her sister cringed at the mention of her real name. "You promised me you two will get along for now on."

"I'm more then willing!" Snow argued while Lightning rolled her eyes.

"So are we going in or what?" Lightning asked.

"Go where?" Sazh asked.

"Into the grave."

"You know how far a jump that is Light?" Hope asked with wide eyes as he scanned the river below the cliff they were on. The high cliff with the river _way _below. With loads of jagged and sharp rocks poking out Hope couldn't help but add.

"We can make the jump." Lightning responded already making a run and leaping over the "canyon".

"We can't!" Sazh called out to her.

The graceful woman landed swiftly on her feet after practically sailing across the gorge, not even getting tangled in the wild trees that were reaching out towards her like long slender arms. She turned around to face her party as they stared at her as if to say "Seriously, Lightning?"

"Well, are you coming or not?" Lightning asked as she shifted her weight onto her right foot.

"We're doing this for the money." Snow replied taking a few steps back. Serah quickly latched onto Snow's jacket sleeve.

"Are you crazy, Snow you can't make that jump."

"I can try."

"Go ahead." Noel dared walking in the opposite direction. "You won't die."

"I won't?" Snow asked hopeful.

"No, you'll just shatter into little tiny pieces. Then Serah will be heartbroken and-I'll-be-the-only-man-to-comfort-her..." He muttered the last part to himself.

"Geez man, you could have just said no!" Snow wailed, throwing his arms up in exasperation.

Lightning gave up on waiting for the group and decided to scout ahead until one of them grew the balls (Except for Serah) to get themselves across.

_Or instead of wasting their time figuring out a way across they could have easily just gone around the __**entire**__ gorge, since they want to make things complicated, as always._

_Or better yet give up on this foolishness. I cannot believe I even agreed to this. What's in it for me! Money would be nice if we found anything but I don't absolutely need it enough to go on a expedition with them. Why didn't I call the Guardian Corp for this._

_Why do I do anything anymore, I just question myself in the end._

It was only yesterday when Noel sent an "anonymous" letter to her using various letters from magazine articles. Though it was kind of pointless since at the end of the letter he put his name. He needs to stop hanging around Snow and his NORA gang.

He might as well have called, but she remembered Serah telling her at one point that he doesn't own a phone, or any source of technology. She actually found that quite amusing.

She wasn't going to go, until that boy came over and gave her those eyes.

Serah's puppy pout was strong. But it didn't compare to that boy's.

Lightning was so disgusted with herself for even falling for Hope, er...that's boy's sparkling green eyes- as in the puppy pout not in a romantic, not at all in a romantic way, that will be wrong-

Lightning stopped in her tracks.

"What was I thinking about again?"

"We can use this!" Noel said proudly as he grabbed a vine from a nearby tree, luckily one that was near the canyon.

"Is it stable though?" Sazh asked concerned as he took the vine from the young man's hand and tugged on it a few times. "It won't, you know snap?"

"It's strong enough to even hold Snow." Noel stated proudly.

"Good." Snow sighed. "I was afraid I was gonna have to walk."

Noel took the vine back from the dark skinned pilot and took several steps back, getting ready for the ultimate swing. "AH-AHOHA-HA!" He hollered like a jungle man and he was flying across the gorge, his loud voice echoing throughout the Wilds.

He landed on his feet and swung the vine back over to the other side. "That's how it's done!"

"Hey, man, why are you stealing my phrases!" Snow complained as Serah grabbed hold of the vine. One look and she quickly handed it over to Hope.

"You can go ahead." She said.

"You can go Serah," Hope offered, "It's better if-"

"No, it's okay!" She practically shoved the vine into his grip, even nudged him over.

"A-alright." He replied. He tentatively peeked over the ledge. The rocks were just so sharp. What if he fell. The young teenager pictured his bloody corpse...he shook his head. _Now's not the time to be scared._

"Just do what I did Hope." Noel called over.

"What are you guys doing?" Lightning asked as she came up behind the young man.

"We're vine swinging." The brown haired man said proudly.

"Vine swinging!" _Who's brilliant idea was that! Are they trying to push my sister to her death. How is a vine going to hold-Oh my God Snow is a giant. He will absolutely-_

"Here I go!"

_H-HOPE!_

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" The pair on the other side could hear the teenager' high pitched wail.

"WHA-"

A blur of silver rushed past Noel and Lightning as Hope stumbled a few paces and land in a heap near a group of shrubs, his head barely grazing the side of the grave. Noel quickly caught the vine and threw it to the other side as Lightning was already making her way toward him.

"Hope!" Lightning asked worriedly.

His eyes snapped open and he quickly sat up. "I'm okay!" He said a little to happily giving them a thumbs up."

Lightning almost sighed in relief, but it came out as a growl. "Who's friggin' idea was it to swing on a vine. This is no Saturday morning cartoon!"

"It was Snow's I swear." Noel lied, shifting his eyes over to the teenager that was still on the ground. He nodded.

"OH CRAAAAAAAAAAP!" Sazh's voice bellowed almost making the trees shake.

The three rushed over as the man clambered onto Lightning. She flipped him over involuntarily. "Agh! I didn't mean it I swear!" He almost whimpered in her grip.

"Sorry." Lightning responded coldly. "Where's Serah? Where's my sister! If that idiot comes flying in without her, I swear to God-"

"Whoa, grumpy, calm down." Sazh said as he pushed aside the curtain of leaves revealing the couple too engaged in their converastion to notice while Mog (Now you didn't forget about him did you?") was floating along beside his wielder. "Hey, sweetheart, you can come over now. Your sister is ready to tear her hair out." Smack! "Ow!"

"Come on, Serah." Snow pleaded. "If they can do it, so can you."

"A-alright." She took the vine from her fiance' and leaned over the gorge, watching as the rushing water smashes against the rocks. "So high..."

"If you want I can carry you over-"

"Are you an idiot!" Snow winced at the sound of the soldier's voice. _Why i she so on edge today?_ "If my sister dies, you will too! I'll make sure of it."

"Alright!" Serah cried, "I'm going." She took a few steps back getting ready to run. _I can do this, I can do this..._

"Don't let go, Serah!" Hope warned, "or you'll get yourself k-" Smack! "Ow, Light that hurt!"

"Thanks kid, you sure have a way with words." Sazh said crossing his arms.

"I'm coming!" Serah said with full determination. "I can do this by myself!" She ran...and jumped.

"!" Serah squealed as she sailed across the gorge with her vine...and landed on Noel.

"Oof!" The brown haired man fell onto his back with Serah on top of him.

"I'm so sorry, Noel." Serah apologized her face tinging pink.

"Oh...it's no problem at all." Noel tried to fight of his own blush as Serah climbed off of him.

"TO INFINITY..."

"What the hell is that boy...?" Sazh began but his voice trailed off.

"AND BEYOND!"

"AGHWAH!"

"Noel!"

...

Everything grew silent as Snow's huge frame landed on Noel's body. He quickly got up and the group surrounded him.

"Oh my God Snow you killed him!" Hope cried, tears pricking his eyes.

"Somebody do something!" Serah cried as she leaned down over Noel's body propping his head onto her lap. "I don't think he's breathing."

"Don't worry." Snow said pumping his fist up (How can he be so cheerful at this point?) "Your hero is here to save the day."

"Well, 'hero'," Sazh put air quotes around the term. "What are you planning on doing?"

"I am going to give him CPR-"

"HELL NO!" Noel scooted a good five feet away. "Get away from me!"

Lightning shook her head as she continued walking ahead. Why were these six in the Middle of the Pulse Wilds.

Because they are on a treasure hunt.

**AN: That's the first chapter. I hope you found humor in it. :)**


	2. You and Snow did what?

**A Treasure Hunt!**

It had been reported in many news articles and history books about the hidden treasure on an island beyond the Pulsian Wilds. Cocoonians never dared travel beyond the borders of their society so there was still so, so, **so **much more land that even Noel was unaware of.

After some new information of the hidden treasure got out, it was Noel who took the information (where he got it from he would never tell) and decided to tell all his new friends to form some sort of guild.

Everybody had their own reason for going: Snow so Serah and he can live comfortably, same with Sazh and Dajh, Hope just wanted to tag along and even got Lightning to come (much to Serah's pleasant surprise). Lightning just told her it was because she was worried of her sister's well being, which wasn't that hard to believe.

But now Lightning continues to question her real motive to coming as the group continued to feel their way around the inside of the grave (which turned out to have a secret passageway) with only one torch that Sazh was holding in his hand right now.

Not knowing what would be in store for the gang they had drawn their weapons ready to lash out at any mysterious creatures that could possibly be lurking within. So far they managed to get themselves tangled up in bats, which startled Sazh so much he almost dropped the torch...on Serah.

Sazh concluded it was harder to see in the dark and dingy tomb with a black eye from the soldier that continued to lead the group now.

After about an hour in surprisingly complete silence trying to search for the treasure the gang came up upon the core of the tomb. It was alot larger inside then outside everybody agreed. In the center was a huge melting pot.

"What is that?" Snow asked in awe.

"That's the Deliquece Pot isn't it!" Serah giddied once again, enjoying being able to use what she read to her advantage.

"A what pot?" Snow asked with puzzled look.

Noel took a broken piece of stone from one of the broken pillars that were standing nearby and dipped half of it into. When he pulled it back, that piece was gone.

"Whoa!" Sazh exclaimed with facination.

"Isn't that dangerous to have around?" Lightning couldn't help but ask, placing her hand on her hip again.

Noel dipped his fist into the pot, letting the hot gold liquid engulf it. "Relax, it won't harm the human body. It's actually good for it, see." He pulled his fist back, his whole hand and a bit of his arm died gold for a few seconds, before it all slinked down back into the pot revealing his once calloused hand now as smooth as silk.

Serah's eyes glistened in facination as she took Noel's hands into hers to feel the difference. While his left hand was rough from years of wielding a lance, his right was soft enough that Serah couldn't help but let it carress the side of her face, which made the brown haired man blush a bit.

The younger Farron closed her eyes and an almost unaudible sighed escaped her lips. "It's so soft." She whispered before pulling away, opening her eyes.

"Can I feel?" Hope asked already making his way over. Noel reached his hand out and yanked Hope's glove off so he can feel it better. "It is soft! Like, baby soft!"

Sazh quickly stripped his own gloves off, rolled up his sleeves and dunk both hands and most of his exposed arm into the pot. "Ah..." He sighed, "It feels real good too. Hey big guy, come try it!"

Snow shrugged his own gloves off and followed suit with Sazh. "Whoa, it does feel good. Like a hot tub...for your hands. All those skin creme ads got nothing on this."

Lightning crossed her arms as everybody got sidetracked with bathing their hands and not on the fact they are so close on getting treasure.

"Come on, Claire!" Serah raced over to her older sister and led her toward where everybody was enjoying their now favorite pot.

Lightning let the younger Farron lead her to the Deliquece Pot, and Noel quickly grabbed both her arms to take off her gloves. The woman almost growled at Noel violating her personal space by just touching her. But she didn't object and let him place her now naked hands into the pot full of the magical gold substance.

She had to admit the hot liquid did feel good on her hands, and she can feel the tingling as the magic did it's work. Noel pulled them back and once her hands were visible she audibly gasped.

Her once rigid hands were now smooth, she almost felt a swell in her heart at how feminine they now looked.

Once everybody was done with their facinating and magical hand bathing, Lightning suggested they continued onward. The sooner we get out of here the quicker she get out of there without incident.

So far everybody was in a fantastic mood, now chatting idly with each other about something. Probably about what to do with the money.

"First things first." Sazh began, "We are splitting it fairly. Between me, soldier girl, Hope, Noel, and Snow and Serah."

Everybody hummed in reply. Sazh had already made this speech on the airship. Nobody wanted to turn out like _those_ people, become so greedy and selfish they take the money all for themselves, resulting in extreme measures.

They were going to be civilized adults (including Hope).

"Second in business, we are going to pay off all our bills."

Snow agreed loudly with a big whoop that echoed throughout the cave, which made Sazh and Serah grin, while the others rolled their eyes. "Aw, yeah! Don't have to worry about that anymore!"

"Now, what I'm going to do is invest in a Chocobo Farm." Sazh put out there.

"Dajh would love that!" Serah laughed, picturing the six year old running around with a pack of chocobos.

"That sounds pretty cool." Noel agreed. "I haven't really thought about what to do with my share. What about you Hope?"

The silver haired teen shrugged. "Not really. It is alot of money. Light?"

"Pay off my bills like Sazh said." Lightning answered quickly.

"I know what we're going to do!" Snow of course announced. "Me and Serah are going to celebrate. We're going to go out to eat. Then maybe walk along the beach. Then after..."

Snow winked at Serah who blushed.

"Wait what!" Lightning instantly stopped walking. "Don't tell me that meant what I think that meant."

"Is it really that surprising, sis?" Snow began, not realizing what grave he dug himself. "Me and Serah _are_ engaged."

"yeah, engaged! As in not married yet." Lightning turned to her younger sister who was inching away along with the rest of the guys. "Serah! Please don't tell me that you and Snow...did that!"

"uh..."

"I will not allow it!" Lightning almost went hysterical. "This cannot be!"

"Hey, calm down soldier girl," Sazh tried to coaxed. "It's not like they aren't planning on it."

The dark skinned man's blood ran cold as ice when Lightning glared the living crap out of it. He was surprised he wasn't bursting to flames. He already had a black eye, he needed at least be able to see out of his good eye.

"This has to be a joke. You two did not...do it."

"Yeah we didn't we're just messin' with you!" Snow quickly said, sweating underneath his bandana.

Lightning didn't look satisfied, clenching her fists over and over waiting for the right moment to strike.

"That's not what we've been hearing coming out of the bedroom." Noel coughed before running ahead. Sazh and Hope exchanged a worried look. _What has he done! _Then scurried after him, the sound of Snow's screams echoing throughout cave.

"Amazing..." a mysterious figure watched as the gold liquid revealed his now blemish free hand. "This is just what we need."

"Caius." The purple haired man turned to face Yuel who was already undoing her headress. "I need twenty minutes alone, now."

Caius nodded before walking ahead, leaving Yuel to undress.

After another hour of walking (Lightning at least twenty feet away from the others) everybody else agreed that it was indeed time to set up camp.

"Therah you athk her." Snow tried to whisper through his bandana that was no longer on top of his head but wrapped tightly around his nose since the soldier they were speaking of broke his nose with her punch.

"She's mad at me right now because of you!" Serah almost cried.

"It wath Noel who made her hit me!" Snow whined as the brown haired man was smiling to himself.

Sazh shook his head with a smirk. _I knew this guy was going to make things interesting. _But his old bones were slowing everybody down and he could use a rest stop. But nobody had the courage to speak to Lightning after the whole episode.

Snow and Serah weren't about to ask her, that's for sure. Noel might.

"Hey, kid." Sazh called. Both Noel and Hope looked in his direction. "Er...new kid."

"What's up?" Noel asked turning to face the old man.

"Why don't you ask Lightning if she'd let us set camp."

"Pfft, yeah right." Okay so Noel is scared of her too. And Hope definitely wouldn't.

So that left only Sazh. Gulp.

"Soldier girl." If possible, it got quieter, but she did stop walking. "Er, is it alright if we stop for a while. At least a half hour or five minutes I don't care as long as we take _a _break."

"..."

"uh, hello?"

Lightning spun on her heel to face them and gave them the biggest death glare. Sazh, Noel, and Hope froze like statues and Snow almost fainted.

"Claire, we need to stop." Serah added before anybody died.

"..."

"..."

"...fine." Lightning muttered, before walking in some other direction away from the others.

"Uh..." Sazh trailed off.

"I still cannot believe you left all our treasure on this island!" A woman with dark hair and full red lips complained smacking a huge, stumpy and round man who was stuffing himself with beef jerky.

"Ow! That hurts!"

"Maybe if you don't act like an idiot then you won't get hurt!"

"Both of you." A cold voice spat in front of them. He was pale with striking blue hair and wore all black and a black mask. "If you want your treasure back then you need to shut the hell up and search. Now where did place it."

"...I don't remember." the fat guy muttered.

"You don't remember where you placed our bloody treasure!" The woman hollered.

"I'm sorry! Stop yelling at me it makes me upset."

"Sh!" The cool guy hushed holding up his palm. He drew his long shiny silver sword. "Somebody is approaching."

The woman drew her gun and the fat boy got into a battle stance.

Quick as a lightning bolt the cool guy lashed out and his sword collided with Caius's sword. "Who are you?" The cool guy asked with venom. "What brings you here."

"I should ask you the same thing."

"Uno, there is somebody with him." The woman aimed her guns at Yuel who had turned the corner. She froze in her spot.

Just as quick as the cool guy, Uno did, Caius slashed through making the man stagger back a few steps. "Don't you dare touch her!" The purple haired man spat angrily.

"Hey, it's just a little girl." The fat guy said easing his stance.

"Are you treasure hunters?" Yuel asked in her usual soft spoken matter, unfazed by the fighting that had previously happened.

"Of course." The woman said as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "Though we're not hunting. No need to worry your pretty head about it."

"Yeah, it's not like we're actually here because the treasure is really ours and we came to claim it before some other treasure hunters steal it." The woman glared at the fat man. "What? it's not like I know where it is."

"But we do." Caius said with an intent. "Come with us and you can claim back your treasure."

"And what's to stop you from stealing **our **treasure for yourself?" the woman asked slowly putting her guns away.

"Because that is not what we are after." Caius explained. "There is another group who is here on this island that is after the same treasure as you. If you come with us we will eliminate them, and you can take the treasure for yourself."

"hm." Uno hummed to himself. "You are after the group. You want to eliminate them, we want our treasure." A sly smile creeped onto his face.

Serah carressed her fiance's face and hair as he continued to sleep, his head on her lap. Sazh was next to them helping Noel split the rations. Hope was idly playing with the tails of his pants, not really knowing what to do.

Lightning was still distancing herself from the group, refusing to talk to anyone.

"Hey soldier girl, come get your rations!" Sazh called.

No answer.

"Geez, grumpy."

Serah sighed, she didn't like it when her sister was angry with her. Well, she wasn't angry with _her _but with Snow. And in all honesty she didn't like the way Lightning treats him.

Everybody in the group didn't say a word to each other and frankly, the tension in the air was thick enough to suffocate them.

So it was a surprise when Hope reached over and grabbed Lightning's food and made his way over to where Lightning sat.

_Oh man, kid please don't die. We need a healer. _Sazh thought.

On the outside Hope looked concerned and a bit confident, but in the inside his heart was racing so fast.

_If Light turns you away then walk away. _Hope thought to himself. _Don't say a word to her just...walk...and keep walking...and don't look back._

"uh..." _Didn't I say not to talk! _Hope winced to himself at how nervous he sounded once he got to his destination. The lone soldier had her back still turned toward him. "I-I brought you your food."

Lightning turned over and stared at the rations in his hands. It felt like hours passed before she reached over and took the bread and cheese from him. Then she turned away.

_Walk way. Walk. Away. _Hope was ready to go running back to where the others are until her voice broke through the silence.

"Hope." _Oh no. Am I about to die?_

The soldier only glanced at him before turning back around. He couldn't see her expression because of the dark which made him even more nervous. "You think I was hard on her?"

"O-on Serah?" _No, on Lebreau. _Hope thought to himself. _Who else could she be talking about. _"Uh..."

"Be honest." Lightning said finally facing the silver haired teen. Her previous anger was no longer etched into her face but softened ever so softly. Well enough for Hope to notice.

"Well..." Hope hesitently took a few steps toward Lightning, then took a seat. "Serah is an adult. And...well your intentions weren't bad."

The two sat in a long silence.

"I mean..." Hope started again. _I am really screwing up right now. _"Well, maybe it isn't as big of a deal as it seems. Maybe it just seems like it because she is your little sister, and you still look at her that way. That isn't going to change, she's always going to be your sister. But just older? I'm sorry Light, I don't know where I'm going with this. I'll uh shut up now."

"No your right." Lightning stated as she stood up.

"I am? I didn't really get what I was even saying."

"You were trying to say the reason I'm taking this really hard is because I picture this little twelve year old girl who used to crawl into my bed at night when she had nightmares about our parents. Or when I taught her how to ride a bike. Or used to beat up the other girls who used to bully her. She is and always will be my sister." The soldier's gaze landed on Serah who was laughing at something Noel said. A small smile curled up on her lips. "But Snow is there for her now. Of course I always will be there for her, but Snow would most likely beat me to it."

Lightning decided to make her way back toward where the group was, Hope tagging along.

When Serah saw her sister heading their way she looked up with a certain tenderness in her eyes. _Oh Claire._

"Serah."

"Claire."

The guys watched captivated as the sisters stared at each other, communicating with their eyes alone. Then Serah set Snow down who was also in awe and embraced one another.

"I'm so sorry!" Serah cried into Lightning's chest.

"No, I'm sorry." Lightning said patting the back of her head. "I just have to accept the fact that you are growing up."

"Women." Sazh whispered to the others.

Snow jumped to his feet and hugged the sisters, "yay we're all happy now!"

"Alright, now let's get a move on, then." Sazh said standing up.

"Hey Noel." Lightning called out.

Smack!

Noel staggered back from Lightning's backhand across his face. "That was for that comment earliar."

She then strutted past him, Hope following right behind with a grin. The brown haired man touched the side of his cheek that was now blaring red.

"Aw, it's alright, kid." Sazh patted him on his back. "You are now officially part of the group."

"You thould be lucky you didn't get punched by her." Snow joked walking ahead.

Noel pouted, but it went away quickly when Serah gave him a hug. "It's okay Noel, that means she likes you."

"Then the mutht be abtholutely in love with me." Snow said back.

Little did the group know that another gang was following close behind them...

**AN: Who are these mysterious treasure hunters? Why is Caius and Yuel here? What is the Deliquece Pot? Will it be important in the next chapter? Will they find the treasure? Is Noel in love with Serah?**

**Noel: HEY!**

**AN: Will the questions be answered in the next chapter?**


	3. The real Treasure

**A Treasure Hunt!**

"Is that the group that's after our treasure?" The woman asked as she stealthily peeked from behind the pillar at Lightning's gang. "They don't look like treasure hunters or pirates?"

"Especially that pretty girl with the bow and arrow." The fat boy said, eyeing her like she was a piece of chocolate cake.

"What do you have against them anyway?" The woman asked Caius.

It wasn't until fifteen minutes later when the youngest member of Lightning's group suddenly felt paranoia wash over him. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shake the feeling of somebody...no there was more then one being trailing behind the group.

He turned quickly on his heel, but nobody was there. Hope's heart hammered in his chest.

_Should I say something...what if it's just me._

Hope breathed deeply through his mouth, as a layer of pespiration appeared on the top of his forhead.

"We should be very careful." Noel warned the group. "We're close. There might be creatures up ahead."

"Right." Lightning drew her gunblade from her storage bag, falling back. "I'll take the rear. Noel, you take point."

"Roger that." The brown haired man smirked, reaching for his own weapon and running up ahead.

The group continued on for the few moments in silence.

Complete silence.

"Light..." Hope whispered to the soldier, the paranoia returning.

"Sh!" Lightning quieted the younger boy down, continuing to walk without even bothering to check to see what was wrong.

"But, Light-"

"I know alright...don't make a scene." The soldier's gaze landed on Hope's for a fraction of a second. "Not yet."

Hope pursed his lips, his paranoia now turned to anxiety as the stalker continued to trail the group. The others were up ahead more concerned on encountering the possible fiends up ahead. Mog (who everybody had forgotten about since he had turned to Serah's bow) transformed back and was now waiting for Lightning and Hope.

The soldier gave the moogle a stern look, his pink diamond pointed attenae drooping slightly in concern. He didn't address it and continued to follow his wielder. "Kupo!" He cooed as Serah giggled with him.

The mysterious group continued their stalking game.

"The soldier knows." Uno muttered aside to the purple haired man.

Caius's evil smile turned upward, pleased with the information.

"Should we attack head on then, boss." The fat boy turned around and Caius and Yuel were no where to be seen. "What the-?"

"Sh!" The woman hushed before turning around herself. "Wha-where did they go?"

"Forget them." Uno whispered. "They know where the treasure is too. Just try not to get busted."

Uno watched with mild interest as Lightning stopped in her tracks setting down a knapsack she was carrying. She bent over and started rummaging through. _No wonder that Caius is interested in her, she's got a nice bod. She's a bit of a mystery too. Something happened between them, I'm positive of that. But still..._

"Light.." Hope didn't know whether to keep walking, but once he turned around he noticed a huge shadow suddenly escape from view. His heart continued to race, and he felt his hands clam up from within his gloves.

"You idiot!" the woman exclaimed to the fat boy. "That kid probably saw you."

"Hey, you pushed me!" The fat boy voice rasied slightly.

"Didn't you see her stop. You kept walking!"

Uno face palmed. _So much for the element of surprise._

"Hope." Lightning murmured so he could hear. "Here's what I want you to do."

Uno and his group were now hidden deep within the shadows, the group ahead out of their view. "You foolish blokes. They could have heard us."

"Let's just attack them now!" The fat boy groaned, balling his fists up. "That purple haired man and little girl totally walked out on us. Let's just get it done."

"Tres, they are the only other people who know where our shit is. If we kill them, then we are going to continue to wander around the tomb with no idea where to flippin' go." Uno reason, but his voice was as cold as ice.

The silent thick air was cut by an unidentified flying object.

"What the hell was that?" The fat boy, Tres clutched onto Uno's knapsack out of fear.

"looks like a...boomerang?" The woman cocked her head to the side as the weapon turned heading towards the group. "What the-"

The trio ducked as the boomerang came flying past them.

"Preemptive Strike!" Lightning's voice boomed as she got her gunblade in gunmode, the rest of her "expedition" racing behind her.

"Blast, they spotted us!" Uno cursed just as Lightning switched her gun mode back into a blade as knocked him back.

He drew his own sword and charged toward the woman, their blades colliding with a shring sound, sparks coming off. Uno smirked as he and Lightning engaged into a heated blade battle. Their swords a flurry of silver and metal clashing within each other.

"Dos!" Tres cried running in the opposite direction.

The woman, Dos, barely had enough time to do a fantastic cartwheeel to avoid one of Serah's arrows. The younger Farron switchd her bow into a blade as Dos drew her guns. "Not going to hold back on you, girlie!" She fired twice as Serah blocked her bullets.

Serah then jumped into the air, doing a backflip and firing her arrows. One grazed Dos's shoulder, which made her cry out in pain. Once the younger Farron landed on her feet she continued to lash her blade on her. Dos kicked Serah in the shin making her fall onto her side and she did another cartwheel.

But something caught her leg and swung her so she could kick Uno in the face. Dos quickly stood upright and faced Lightning. "Bitch!" Dos swore.

Uno was about to head towards Lightning, but Noel was already on his tail. Noel seperated his swords and cut through aiming for Uno's back. But the stranger turned too quick only able to tear his shirt open.

The brown haired man continued his onslaught but Uno was quick to counter them with his sword.

Sazh aimed his gun at the man and shot his sword away. Uno leaped for it but Noel's quick thinking and reflexes made him throw one of his sword pinning his open shirt at the ground.

Sazh stepped on his stomach ready to bust a whole into his face when a bullet from elsewhere grazed his hair. "Whoa! Who got the fro!" He exclaimed, his eyes landing on Dos. "Oh, hello little Lady."

The mysterious woman cringed at the man open friendly matter. Her eyes glanced over to Tres who was hugging Uno's knapsack to himself, stuffing his face with potato chips. "Tres, do something you lazy ass!"

"But their scary!" The fat boy cried through a mouthful. "It's six against thr-AAH!" His eyes were the size of saucers as he watched Snow charge at him. "THEY GOT A GORILLA ON THEIR SIDE!"

Snow kicked Tres right in the gut, snatching the sack from him. "I'll be taking that." Then tossing it aside so he can fight the man properly.

"Not mah food!" He hollered charging toward Snow. "I don't care how big you are! ARGH!" Their fists connected. "AGH! You broke my hand, bro!"

"You still got the other one." Snow jested, twisting Tres's broken hand behind his back. The fat boy wasn't as defenseless as he looked. He quickly shook out of his grasp, letting the adrenaline take over.

"Come on! You want some of this!" The two attacked each with their hand to hand combat. The shorter, rounder man now having the upperhand. He gave Snow an uppercut, knocking the bandana from where it was wrapped around his nose.

Though Snow was no longer paying attention to the injury. He smirked and delivered a blow to the gut, making Tres sail through the battlefield into a heap in the center. Dos landed on top of him and lastly, Lightning was able to land their leader on top of the heap.

The six lined up in a cool way, like in an epic way.

"Who are you and why are you following us?" Lightning asked blatantly.

The two allies coward in fear, and purposely shoved Uno in front. The blue haired man stood up, his shirt ruined and opened revealing his chest. Dos and Tres stood up behind him. "I am Uno. This is Dos and Tres."

"Uno, Dos, and Tres?" Noel asked with an amused glint in his eye. "As in: One, Two, and Three?"

"How original." Sazh couldn't help but comment.

"Hey, don't make fun of our names!" Dos whined, crossing her arms in disdain.

"But why are you following us?" Hope asked.

"To claim back what is rightfully ours." Uno answered mysteriously.

"If your talking about the treasure..." Lightning said, "you are horribly mistaken. We are here to claim it ourselves."

"Listen," Uno began again, "lady, this is our treasure. We left it here not too long ago and we came to take it back before Cocoonians like yourselves get a hold of it."

"Finders Keepers." Was the soldier's cold reply before she ordered her group to move out. Uno was going to follow them but he was way too swore to even think.

_Need to lie down...for a while...at least._

"Geez." Lightning groaned to herself, grasping her forhead. "All we got out of that was a headache."

"Not exactly. I got their bag!" Snow heaved it up for the group to see. "Don't know what's in it but..."

He voice trailed off when his eyes landed on something on everybody's left. Of course they followed his gaze and in the corner was a treasure chest.

Not even the ones they seen scattered around Cocoon. They were old fashioned, pirate looking treasure chests.

"Is that..." Sazh couldn't even form the words. They had come not even that far. Not as far as they expected to go.

"Open it." Snow said.

It was Hope to step foward, followed by Serah. Lightning watched them but something was wrong. Warning bells were going off in her head. That's when she saw it, "Serah, Hope get back!"

Beep! Beep! Beep.

"It's a trap!" Noel cried.

BAM!

Lightning felt herself flying back way too far, her back hitting againt the wall, and debris as thick as one too hit her with force, pushing her back further. She clenched her eyes as the explosion died down.

What followed after was a series of coughs. Once she was able to see through the cloud she saw on her left Sazh and Noel.

"Ooh, my back. My back." The old man groaned, bent over uncomfortably. Noel was coughing up dust, hunching over gripping his stomach.

"Ugh!" He groaned as well.

At least they were all right. Well, probably not Sazh.

_Serah! _Lightning thought worriedly. _And Hope! They were right next to it! If that was enough to...to..._

"Snow!" Lightning's eyes widened at the sound of her sister's voice. Lightning looked over on her right, Snow was hunched over as well, waving dust away from his face. His back was toward her so she couldn't see his face. But standing next to him was Serah, also facing away from her, patting her fiance's back. "Are you alright. Thank you for saving me."

_Thank goodness. _Lightning thought. But then she realized another person wasn't with them. "Where's Hope?" Lightning asked.

Sazh and Noel looked at each other shaking their heads. Serah looked just as concerned.

In the corner of Lightning's eyes she saw something green waving by where the treasure chest was. _No!_

"Oh, Claire!" Serah cried. "Claire!"

But Lightning was already heading toward it, picking up...Hope's neckerchief.

"No..." She sobbed.

"Soldier girl..." Sazh began, still standing where the others were. "Hey."

"Why didn't anybody!" She continued to rant. "Nobody bothered to...to...I should have...why didn't I..."

"Lightning!" Noel was at her side quickly, grabbing onto her shoulder. Lightning shook it off in anger.

"Do not touch me!" She glared at him, trying to fight back tears.

"Sis!" Snow called out.

"I'm not your sister! Why didn't you save Hope as well." She cried. "Why didn't anybody...I mean...no it's all my fault!" The soldier tried her best not to break down in front of everybody.

"Lightning."

The soldier looked up at Noel...who had the goofiest grin on his face. "What is so damn funny!" She screamed, gripping his shirt lifting him up and already pulling her fist back, "I'll give you something to laugh about-"

"L-Light?"

"..." Noel was already bracing for the impact before Lightning stopped her fist midway toward his face. _What?_ She turned behind her and there was Hope in Snow's arms, coughing his brains out.

"Wh-(cough) are you doing?"

She dropped Noel onto his back and ran back to where Hope was. "Hope, are you okay?" She asked as she shoved Snow aside.

"I'm fine." Hope smiled up at her. "If Snow hadn't grabbed me and Serah I'd probably be gone along with that treasure chest."

"Oh..." Lightning sighed, before reality suddenly hit her. She stood up quickly clearing her throat embarressed that she had overeacted...again. _I really am losing my sense of control. _"Right. Well, the treasure chest was clearly armed by a trap." Lightning quickly changed the subject. "A bomb. We're going to need healing. Snow, is there anything in the bag."

Sazh had to cover his mouth to hide the laughter that was threatening to burst out.

_Covering her emotions up in Soldier mode._

"They got some potions in here." Snow said, as he looked around for the bag that was luckily not too far off.

"Good, give some to Serah and Hope." Lightning ordered. "Guess there was never treasure here in the first place. Or somebody has beaten us to it. This whole expedition was for nothing." She glared at Noel who was trying to slink past her to be next to Serah. "After that we'll head back."

"Guess there's no fortune." Sazh sighed in disapointment. "We were all so excited."

"At least we're alive." Serah tried to be optimistic smiling up at Snow and Noel. "That's something."

"It's gone!" Tres hollered like it was the end of the world.

"What's gone?" Dos asked, with the roll of her eyes.

"The rum. I mean sack! It had all our potions in it!"

"What?" Uno exclaimed, sitting up from the ground he was previously sleeping on. "Damn it! Those people took it! We gotta go get it back!"

"Wait, wait, wait..." Dos grabbed the back of Tres's shirt who was about to charge off like an angry bull. "What about the rum?"

The men gave each other worried looks, stuttering excuses and corrections and basically digging themselves a deeper grave. "You brough rum!" Dos accused. "And didn't tell me! What you were going to drink it amongst yourselves while I had to down five bottles of water per day out of unquenchable thirst."

"...somebody had to be sober." Tres said, earning a kick in the groin from their only girl member. "Agh! That was...uncalled for." He crumpled up in pain.

"Come on," Dos commanded, "we're getting that sack back."

"Who gave you the au-" Uno's sentence was cut off when Dos glared at him with such intensity, he almost pissed in his pants. "I mean...lead the way."

"Snow, you gave them the potions right?" Lightning asked as she paced around the debris.

"Er...Sis, we kinda have a problem here." Snow said

When the soldier turned around she was weirded out by Hope and Serah's sudden grins. Her sister was giggling at something she found amusing while the teenager was swaying from where he was sitting. "Are we home yet?" Hope asked, his voice feeling heavy.

"Are you kids okay?" Sazh asked inching towards them.

Their eyes were glazed, and their faces were tinged pink. Noel leaned over to Serah's face and smelled her breath. "Alcohol? Where did you get alcohol?"

Serah giggled into his face, the strong scent of liquor on her breath as she retrieved the potion bottle. She handed it into Noel's palm, her hands lingering a little too long.

The brown haired man gave her a puzzled look while Snow took the bottle from him, examining it. The two had finished the bottle.

Usually potions tasted awful and they would only take a sip. It must have been a pretty damn good potion. The big man fished out the knapsack and took another potion out, that was when he realized the potion wasn't the usual light blue color but a dark goldish brown.

"You didn't think anything was wrong when you fed it to them!" Lightning towered over the blonde man who was still sitting.

"NOT THE FACE-" Wham! "Ow!"

"Poor guy." Noel couldn't help but say. His train of though was interupted when he felt hands stroking his mane.

"Your hair is sooooo sooooooft, Noellie..." Serah cooed, still leaning closer to his face.

The brown haired man blushed hard as her fingers trailed down his earlobe, he had to bit back a pleasurable sigh. Sazh watched this in great amusement.

"There has to be a cure." Lightning stated as she turned away from the crumpled Snow. "Isn't there like a reversal..."

The dark skinned man gave her a perplexed look. "Uh...soldier girl. Their _drunk _not poisoned."

"It works just as well as a poison." Lightning continued. "There is something in their systems that is twisting their-" The soldier stopped in mid sentence when she felt something launch at her.

"Light-san!" Hope cried. _What the hell? Light-san?_ "Your so soft!"

The soldier (who's face was only slightly tinted pink) yanked the boy off of her, right on top of Snow. "There is no time. We have to get a move on before-"

"Aha!" Tres came barreling through, almost like a giant pudding cup. "Hey boss, they are here!"

"Oh no," Sazh rolled his eyes. "It's the three stooges."

"Who are you calling a stooge, old man!" Dos cried, drawing her guns.

"Not this again!" Noel exclaimed, but not even bothering to get Serah off him, who was now crawling into his lap.

"Hey, where's our treasure?" Uno asked, waltzing into the fray.

"You mean the one you armed with booby traps." Noel counter, as Serah snickered into his ear.

"hey!" Snow exclaimed, shoving Hope (who had passed out already) aside. "Why is my girl all up on you! You girlfriend stealer!"

"Your girl!" Lightning asked menancingly at Snow.

"How despicable." Caius's suden appearence scared everybody out of their wits.

Lightning and Noel (who finally set Serah down) drew their weapons, Snow was running to where Serah was, Hope was still unconcious, and Sazh was confused. And the trio were cowering in fear.

"Caius!" Lightning and Noel said at the same time.

"What's Cai-Cai doing alive?" Serah asked from where she laid in Snow's arm, pointing at him.

"Cai-Cai?" Yuel asked in puzzlement. "I've never heard anybody call you that before."

"Why are you here?" Noel asked once again for Serah.

"Who's Cai-Cai?" Sazh asked, drawing his guns despite not knowing what the flippin-do is going on.

"Caius!" Snow answered.

"Who the hell is Caius!"

"I'm Caius." The purple haired man answered drawing his own sword, and ushering Yuel behind him.

"Yeah that clears things up." The dark skinned man groaned not even bothering to aim his gun. This man had no idea how incredibly strong a villain this man was.

"Why. Are. You. Here." Noel repeated each word seperately, his patience thinning.

"To destroy you, of course, like every villain does. Because as, well, most of you already know I am the most epic villain to ever appear in the Final Fantasy franchise."

Sixteen pairs of eyes blinked in confusion. _What on Pulse was he talking about?_ "Also," he continued, "to reveal to you the treasure that you were so close to getting."

As if it had always been there, Caius threw off a giant blanket that had covered...

"Vanille! Fang!" Lightning exclaimed. "Why do you have them?"

"That's not our treasure!" Tres blurted despite the situation.

Caius rolled his eyes before tossing a small money sack toward the treasure hunters. "I don't need you three anymore."

"Let's get out of here, boys!" Dos commanded already making a run for it with the money.

"I told you I am the leader I give the orders!" Uno yelled back as he and Tres came running after her.

"As for you..." Caius suddenly held up two sledgehammers. Where he got it from, nobody knew. He handed the obviously smaller one to Yuel. "Say goodbye to your crystalized friends."

"Odin!" Lightning suddenly summoned the beast who had transformed into a horse. "Everybody get on!"

Nobody hesitated as they clamber onto their feet, Snow dragged the loopy Serah while Sazh went back to carry Hope. The soldier hopped up onto Odin while the others piled on in order: Hope (Sazh had let the liabilty sit in the front with) Lightning, Noel, Sazh, Serah, and Snow. Lightning drew her oversized swords that only seemed to appear whenever she summons her Eidolon and charged toward Caius who was summoning Chaos Bahamut.

He quickly climbed on, letting Yuel sit in front of him. He also grabbed Fang and Vanille's frozen form and somehow got them to stay on without falling off.

"Their getting away!" Noel pointed out the obvious as Lightning continued to ride Odin through the tomb.

"This is awesome!" Snow hollered in excitement.

"Whee!" Serah squealed, stretching her arms out like an airplane. "I'm flying! I'm Queen of the world. I love your pony sissie!"

Lightning grimaced at Serah's loopy state. Thank God Hope was passed out in front of her, if they were both in their drunken state...

Screw it, she would have left them in the cursed tomb to sing and dance or whatever people did when their drunk. Of course she would most likely come back for them before they had a chance to straggle about. Or...

_Lightning your doing it again. Focus on the mission at hand!_

That was when Noel got an idea, as soon as his eyes landed on the Deliquece Pot. He stood from where he sat from behind Lightning's back.

"Boy, what the hell are you doing!" Sazh exclaimed trying to tug the brown haired man's shirt down. "You want to die?"

"Lightning," Noel began, "get on their side."

Lightning didn't question him as she rode Odin till she was right under Chaos Bahamut. Caius sneered before diving down so he was leveled up with them. That was when Noel made his jump onto Chaos Bahmut's back and knocked Fang and Vanille back.

"WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING!" Snow hollered, his eyes widening at the sight of the two crystal figures flying back. "Their going to shatter!"

But Noel had perfect aim and timing as the two figures landed in the Pot. They began to sink slowly. The brown haired man smiled triumphantly at Caius, but it falterd when Caius smiled on his own.

_He planned that!_

The purple haired man punched Noel back where Fang and Vanille flew out from.

"NOELLIE!" Serah screamed.

Noel landed into the pot along with Fang and Vanille, making the crystals dive deeper into the pool of gold.

Lightning stopped her horse with a swear as Caius flew out with Yuel. _We almost had them! ...they'll be back..._

The soldier leaped off from the horse and hurried towards the Pot of Deliquece. "Noel!" She called out, rummaging her hand for the man.

When she felt somebody grab hold she quickly pulled them up. "Noel, I thought you were..."

But it wasn't Noel. It was Fang. And she was naked.

"Hey, Lightning, it's been a while." the dark haired woman lip curled into a half smile, while her eyes held a mischivous glint.

"Lightning!" Vanille squealed suddenly jumping out of the pot, naked as well. "Good to see you again!"

Snow and Sazh rushed over to the scene. "Hey, is Noel alright..." Sazh's voice trailed off at the sight of the naked pulsians. "Oh...uh...Vanille...Fang..."

Snow's eyes traveled up and down as Lightning turned around to face the guys, unimpressed. "Good to see you again-"

Bam! Bam!

Lightning punshed Snow and Sazh knocking them down.

"Ow, sorry sis, we didn't know!"

"Have mercy!"

The soldier grimaced at the blood that was gushing out of their noses. And not because of her punch. _Men._

"God, that was a close one." Noel suddenly appeared, not wearing anything eighter.

"Who are you?" Fang asked, not seeming to mind the fact that they were naked. Pulsian thing, Lightning suspected.

"I'm Noel. Noel Kre-"

"Can we save the formalities till after you are dressed!" Lightning barked, her face turning a deep shade of red.

"ooh, Lightning's blushing." Vanille giggled from behind Fang.

So Lightning had to give Vanille her overcoat and skirt, leaving her in her small turtleneck and tight shorts. Snow gave his trenchcoat to Fang and Sazh gave his jacket to Noel to wrap around his waist.

Then Lightning took Serah and Hope (and Snow) on Odin while Fang summoned Bahamut taking the others with her.

By the time they got back to Bodhum, Noel had already gotten to know Fang and Vanille (The latter was clinging heavily onto him) and they got changed into more decent clothing.

"Ngh..." Hope groaned from where he laid on the couch. He opened his eyes and took in his surroundings. "Where am I?"

"Your at Snow and Serah's house." Sazh told the younger boy, who had just entered the room, helping himself to a sandwich.

"Why is my head hurting?"

"You got drunk."

"...seriously." Hope whimpered at his hangover. "Did we get the treasure?"

"Uh, yeah. But it wasn't what we thought it was."

Vanille then entered the room, wearing one of Serah's tanks and skirt and handed Hope a glass of water. "Here. Take this."

"Thanks." Hope said absentmindedly taking the glass from her and taking some gulps.

Sazh grinned at the boy's dazed state. Then Hope did a spit take right in his face. "W-w-w-V-v-vanille!" He exclaimed, his eyes wide.

"Surprised?" Fang teased as everybody came back inside the house.

"I..." Hope didn't even know where to begin, his mind was all jumbled and the hangover wasn't helping much eighter. "I...I really missed out on alot."

**AN: Get ready for the next installment!**

**Is Noel in love with Serah? With the help of Vanille can he win her heart? What if he falls in love with someone else in the process? When is Snow and Serah going to get married?**

**On the Next Installment - "How to Win a Girl's Heart"**


End file.
